Hiring Staff: How To Recruit Writers For Your Blog

These days more and more bloggers are hiring writers for their blogs instead of dealing with one-off freelance content providers or all the hassles associated with finding quality guest bloggers. But you don’t want just any writer, you want the best writer who can do the best job for your blog.

Why Hire Paid Writers?

Paid writers, like guest bloggers, add a different voice to your blog. They may also be experts in areas that you’re not which will allow you to expand your topic coverage and appeal to a wider audience.

Paid writers are also professional writers, which many guest bloggers are not. The know how to engage the reader and you won’t have to spend time editing their content.

One key benefit of hiring paid writers is the continuity of their content. Unlike guest bloggers who may appear once or twice on your blog, a paid writer is around for the long-haul which enables him to get to know your readers and their needs. He also gets to know more about your blog and can create content that lends itself to internal linking.

How To Hire Paid Writers

Have a clear idea of what you want in a writer:

Do you want them to have a certain level of expertise in your niche?

Do they need a journalism or writing degree?

Do they need to understand SEO?

Do they need to know how to use your blogging platform?

Are you looking for a particular voice or style?

What audience would you like them to appeal to?

How frequently do you want them to post?

Are there specific days and times you want them to be available?

Don’t be afraid to make a lengthy wish-list. After all, this is your blog and your business. But do be prepared to be flexible. You’re going to have some amazing writers who won’t fit all of your qualifications but they’ll be well-worth bending a little.

Put together an application to start your selection process and include a detailed description of the job, the compensation you’re offering, and how the application process will work.

Ask applicants to submit appropriate writing samples and let them know that if they’re shortlisted they’ll be assigned another post to write, which will be published on your blog and for which they’ll be compensated.

Advertise Your Writing Job

One of the best places to advertise for a writer is Twitter. There’s a huge community of writers of every niche and genre on Twitter and your Tweet will immediately attract attention. You can also try online job boards, like ProBlogger’s job board, or freelance sites like Elance.

Send candidates to your web page where they can download your application and be sure to include a final date for submission.

Once you’ve received all your applications it’s time to start comparing and creating your shortlist. As I said, you’re going to see some surprising candidates so be prepared.

After you’ve created your shortlist, assign a topic for each writer and ask them to submit a post for publication. Again, you’ll want to compensate them for this post since you’ll be using it on your blog. Use this post to gauge your readers’ reaction and engagement levels and monitor traffic and social sharing.

Compensation For Writers

Compensation varies and it’s entirely up to you and the writer. If you list your compensation package on the application then writers will know going into it what you’re willing to pay and that eliminates a lot of negotiation.

Keep in mind, too, that part of your compensation package can include a byline, a link to the writer’s own site or business, or free ad placement. Some blog owners also allow writers to split AdSense revenue.

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3 Comments

Loraine Alkire

In response to “How to Hire Writers for Your Blog” And this goes for any company.

Regarding the lengthy ‘wish-list’ recommended. Many fantastic writers, such as myself, would take your lengthy wish-list and determine that is a sign of yet another ‘asshole’ (and I do paint with broad strokes) attempting to get a whole lot of something for nothing.

My point is, don’t insult a fantastic writer by insisting they have a doctorate, 20 years of experience in an obscure niche, impeccable SEO, marketing savvy, proven sales experience, plus know how to make coffee and clip a good toe nail without offering decent PAY.

BTW, decent pay is not accolades or minimum wage, nothing per word in the form of internship, stocks on a start-up that you thought-up last night, or whatever your lazy ass assumes it to be because you happen to think we are organ grinding monkeys without a life.

EQUAL PAY!!! WE ARE NOT ANIMALS… because if we were you would make sure to pay us at least chicken feed.

My point is- Don’t go overboard with your asinine wish-list and expect to pay crap on a cracker or someone will go postal on your ass eventually.

I do work with several writers for a whole bunch of projects and I do believe that I’m paying them a decent price. Otherwise they would have left me already.

You’re mixing so many unrelated things in your comment that it’s hard to know where to start…

First of all, you can have a doctorate in any area, it’s not going to make me pay you any higher. You may be academic smart, it doesn’t mean that you are ‘street smart’. And to push the envelope even further, I’d say that most of the people I know who are actually doctors, are very pedant and don’t have a single clue about the reality of the marketplace.

Now, if you think that having a “need to know” list for the writers you plan to hire is an insult, you are probably so high on your horse that you completely lost connections with reality.

When I hire a person, I hire them to fit my needs. If they don’t fit, I don’t hire them. As simple as that.

And someone with your attitude would be shown the door in no time. I never hire people who are so full of themselves. They are too busy blowing smoke up their own arse rather than actually doing the job they’re paid for.

Wow, someone is really full of themselves today. I enjoyed Ste’s post. It was clear, concise and useful, unlike the name-calling, vulgarity and self-important chest-thumping from the commentator.

And BTW, to the “fantastic writer”; the root word of “fantastic” is fantasy, as in “imaginative or fanciful; remote from reality”. Me thinks the obvious misuse of that word to describe oneself or one’s alleged skills tells the tale sufficiently.